Learn a language the EFFICIENT way!

If you are interested in learning a language in an efficient manner, I would like to recommend to you to italki.com. I stumbled upon the website when I was looking to improve my Spanish writing skills. I found a "notepad" option which allowed me to write about various topics and about my life while other people corrected my Spanish. I received points for writing articles while the people who proofread my articles, receive points for their corrections.

There is also an option which allows you to find a 1 on 1 professional teacher who will help you with your language skills. You could learn a language from an un reached people group like Persian (Farsi) from Iran for $3 an hour, Chinese for $6 an hour, learn Spanish from your desired dialect from people from all the countries all over South America, or even Quechua which is the Andean language in Peru. Whether you would like to be bumped up to the next level in your desired language, reduce your accent, acquire specialized terminology, or become conversant this italki is for you. There are over 100 languages to choose from and you make friends with people from all over the world.

If you are looking to get free lessons, there is a "language exchange" option which allows for you to look for a language partner who is looking to learn your language while you are learning theirs. For example, if you wanted to learn Arabic and someone from Egypt desires to learn English, you send a message to that person asking them to become your "friend" and when they accept you, you are able to contact them via skype or set aside a time where you can talk for a half hour in their language and a half hour in your language.

I think this language site is the best one out there in terms of learning a language efficiently without being immersed in the country because it works very much like facebook and is addicting. Everyone has their own profile with their native language and the languages they are learning and you are talking face to face with a native speaker!

You can talk to someone from the jungles of Thailand, the Andes mountains of Peru, or some remote island in the middle of the sea!

 I truly think this website is the way to go if you want to learn a language. I use it almost every day and I am currently teaching English classes myself. However, I'm going to be honest with you. I posted this link above because if you sign up and purchase $40 worth of lessons, I will get $20 of credits towards buying language lessons. I hope you consider this website, and if anything, sign up to see what it's all about. The great thing is that if you have a blog or some way to market, you can also refer people and get credits towards free lessons too. (This in no way gets me credit).

If you are looking for English lessons for a fairly cheap price, check my  profile out here to setup a lesson .

Please click below to setup your account and purchase $40 of language credits so you can advance to the next level in your desired language!
http://www.italki.com/iv/T010506692

All in all, this website is your best option if you are staying in your home country. It sure beats $500 language programs like Rosette stone which doesn't give you any interaction with a real live breathing human being. Take your chance, you won't regret it!

Last few weeks in Peru

Last few weeks in Peru

My last few weeks in Peru here were very positive. I ended up moving out of the room as well, Eddy offered me a room on the third floor to live. Immediately, I took it since this would mean no waiting for a shower, and a clean single room, and no distractions. I was living next door to the American couple too. We spent a lot of time together.

I had a fun time going to a "retreat area" with Igor, Aliane, and their house group that meets at their house. We had a picnic and played soccer and volleyball. The other teams didn't want to play soccer with us because of Igor and I, since they thought we would wupp them being tall "gringos." We did end up winning but they put up a good fight. I'm going to miss a lot of people that I have been spending time with, especially the people from the district of Ate.

I also spent my last few days at Igor's house, we went to Jockey Plaza and ran errands. I bought a massaje pillow for my long coming bus ride.

The last two weeks of Peru was saying goodbyes to people since I decided to visit my friend Nico in Rosario, Argentina my last month in South America before I head back for the holidays.

They had a going-away party for me, we had lemon meringue pie and hamburgers at Willy and Luz's restaurant. Everyone stood and shared something about me, and what they will miss. I also shared with them what I will miss about them. I was deeply moved. We also sang some canticos.

I also spent the last few mornings with Koki and we have been eating Papa Rellenas.  He always gives good counsel and we enjoyed hanging out a lot. He also took me to the bus terminal of Cruz del Sur with his family to say farewell on my 3 day non-stop voyage to Argentina.

Long time no post! - Lots of changes!

Long time no post! - Lots of changes!

I just reviewed my last post and wow, so much has changed since then. An oppurtunity sprang up for a position as an insurance broker, which I was excited about working at. It was with someone at church too.
 However, after thinking about it and praying over it, i could not take it. I felt so heavy  due to the prospect that if I worked there, I'd have to commit to a year of working there and I know that i would have to keep my word. I had my family on my mind mostly and the thought of not seeing them for over a year or just for a visit.  that I should be in the States would not go away.
 My friend Koki really helped me give me good wisdom on this. So, I've decided to start my voyage back to the United States on Christmas and once I return, this blog will either have no more updates, or change into a different blog. :)

A few weeks ago I was really blessed to spend time at Igor and Aliane's house again, this time with a couple and their kid who came from Columbia. They are actually americans but they work in Columbia and met Igor online through skype because one of them is also part brazillian and speaks portuguese. It was a weekend of mixed languages. I never been in a room where we had to constantly switch languages back and forth in order for the conversations to work but it all happened quite naturally. To give you a background, the couple from Columbia spoke very limited Spanish (only lived there for a few months),
and the husband spoke English and Portuguese but the wife and kid only spoke english. Igor and his wife speak Portuguese and Spanish but no English. I speak English and Spanish but no Portuguese so in order to have us all "in" on the conversation, we had to constantly translate to one another what the other person said in the person who was receiving the transmission in his/her language. I actually picked up a lot on Portuguese and there were some sentences I could understand completely and others that had no resemblance to Spanish. It was very stimulating. It was very cool to see how generous they were and
how on fire they were and hungry for fellowship. We also went downtown one night and witnessed to some people. We spoke to a woman a part of a Peruvian cult here called "Las Israelitas" (The Israelites), who only believe that we must follow the 10 commandments and nothing else. It's strange in that there's a lot of "Israelitas" here (I've encountered several in Pichanaki. They completely disregard all the Bible except the parts that talk about the Law of God.  It's strange that they are only limited to Peru. THe time was very refreshing too to speak english with this couple from Columbia originally from New Jersey.

I'm finished taking Spanish courses. I'm very content with the level I've reached. I haven't reached the desired C1 level but I feel that I could pass a B2 exam on the DELE (an international exam which recognizes your level of Spanish). A B2 is equivalent of passing Upper-Intermediate.

My time with the brothers here has beeng good and at times difficult too. One left our room due to some differences but everything is going well now. One brother got baptized last week along with 3 others in the CHurch. I've been teaching English several times a week to someone's children and translating Missionary reports into English for a missionary society in the States which has been keeping me busy.  A brother from Cotiwasi, an american missionary and his wife have been staying in the church as well and we've been passing a lot of time together. We've shared a lot of common stories together. I was very impressed with thier
perfect hillbilly Spanish from COtiwasi.  The other night we ate pancakes together because it's been a long time since we have eaten american breakfast.

Crazy last few weeks 9/11/2012

 I had a great time in the district of Ate this last weekend with Igor and Aliane. I went with Rafa and it was about an 1 hr bus ride. Igor and Aliane are a young Brazillian missionary couple who are holding a house church in their home as an extension from the Church of the Savior. Friday night we spend time with their church group and then woke up the next day with a nice shower,
a big breakfast, and coffee. We spent most of the day relaxing and fellowshipping and that night went out to the downtown part with some guys from the house church and preached the gospel to several people. Overall, it was nice to get away, and to stay in a nice apartment and take a nice consistent shower and to eat really good food. :)

My apartment is still holding up pretty well. My roommates and I have our quirks and eveyone thinks different. THey are clean for the most part and they all work as Insurance brokers. I'm thinking of starting an online business with one of my roommates who can develop webpages and E-portals. We are trying to think of an idea or a way for marketing peruvian products and selling them to people mainly in North America (U.S. and Canada).

I'm also taking classes at La Catolica Idiomas institute, an extension of the university 2 hours a day. I think for now, I'm focusing mostly on getting to a more advanced level in Spanish. I tested into the Upper-Intermediate bracket which means I need to get through that level, and then the Lower and Upper Advanced levels. I would really like to use my spanish skills as a job when I get back to the U.S. God willing and I see it as a huge asset not to mention that it is fun knowing and thinking in another language.

The students in my class are all from different countries, U.S., Germany, Brazil, China, South Korea, Kroatia, Switzerland, etc.

I've been having a lot of language exchanges with others in the church too, 1 hour teaching them english, 1 hour them correcting my spanish. I really like where my classes are situated.

San Isidro is a really beautiful and cultural area of Lima. Everything is way more expensive. There's a huge park called Olivar. They have over 20 different types of birds there. I think I'm going to have one of the guides show me around. It's a nice to relax and study after class. There's also a nice library in the middle which is where
I've been studying after. Usually I have 2 hours of class and then I study for about 1 to 2 hr of Spanish after since I don't have a job yet.

Tomorrow I'm going to help Eddy and some others put on a roof over a part of the church. So, for the most part, I've been able to keep busy during my time here.

I also talked to Pastor Martin today about my future. I really need to pray whether I am going to stay here long term or if my time here is going to be a few months. It will also depend if I can find a job or not. Pray that my heart would be more fixed on the Lord and that I would be a living sacrifice (Romans 12). I think when we give the Lord our all, then we know what His will is. It isn't necesarily WHERE you are stationed in life exactly but an obedient life towards Him that loves and is waiting for the Day when Christ comes. I think things will be more clear when I am spending more time
in the Word and spending good time in prayer too.

Pray that I can find a job, (a legal one too!), - still looking.

A few weeks ago too I had a nice time with a missionary family from Montana who is going to help plant a church in Cusco. They rented a really nice apartment in Miraflores so I was priviledged to spend 2 days in their huge apartment with a nice shower, and comfortable bedding, and a wifi connection. It was really neat to here their testimonies of how they came to know the Lord and how He worked through them to come all the way here to Peru. They also told me of some revivals that were going on in Montana which was very encouraging to hear. I was able to help him and
some friends of his to transport all their posessions to a moving company to send it off to Cusco. Through that process, I met Jaime who is a Peruvian guy who also loves the Lord. He was very encouraging as well. He and his wife have a house church in Lima as well and invited me to come over any time.

My room, roommates, and time here so far 8/19/2012

This last friday the sun came out and the clouds were dispersed for most of the day which made for a nice summer day in the middle of Lima's wintery cloudy days. My roommates are pretty cool. i have 4 of them and we all share a room with 6 bunk beds. The room is pretty big. I guess you could say our living situation is like a penthouse or equivalent to a 1 star hotel but
it's descent living conditions. Luis and I went to San Isidro, which is the commercial sector in Lima and I enrolled in Spanish courses which are an extension of La Catolica University. The courses only cost about $130 a month and it's 2 hours a day in the mornings. I had an interview which consisted of a live interview and a half-hour test. I tested in a mid-intermediate level.
I'm hoping in the next few months I can pass all courses which would be 7 months worth to get me through to the Advanced level. It was definitely a beautiful day and it was my first time again passing through Miraflores and taking an omnibus.

I've been  mostly eating out every meal spending no less than the equivalent of $5 of $6 a day. In the mornings I've been eating egg sandwiches or avocado (palta) sandwiches with Quinua at a breakfast stand. (normally about $1 or less), and for lunch they usually have a variety of dishes from chicken and rice to fish, with a blend of many kinds of spices.

Thursday people met for pray at 7:30 at night and Friday we went to Kennedy Park and shared the gospel with people near the pillar seats.
Pastor Martin Zacarias and Pastor Rogelio preached open-air and shared their testimonies too. It was very unlike many open-air preachers in the U.S. who insult people and tell them God hates them. They shared how such great sinners they were and how great and big God is to save them. I talked to a young guy who seemed to be awakened to his need to get things right with God. He heard the preaching
before and asked a lot of questions. I kept encouraging to look to Christ alone because He wanted to somehow get right with God by his works.

Saturday we had a gathering again. I'm loving a lot of the new songs that we've been singing. They are all from scripture with a nice tune to go along with it. I'll have to post some mp3s to give you all an idea.

This last week I helped fix chairs in the church and I have been sort of Eddy's right hand mand for maintaining things in the church. Everyone calls me his hijo even though he is peruvian because he is of german descent and is tall and huge. I also met this guy named Scott from Montana who is going to be a missionary in Cusco. He and his family were just passing time in Lima for a few days. I hope to get some lunch with him next week. He was in Costa Rica for the last year taking spanish courses.

I hope to find a job prospect soon but I've been keeping busy at helping out with things at the church and all the activities we have there. I'm really excited about the spanish courses I'm going to be taking. I love learning languages and I hope to learn Quechua from Tina sometime too. My roommates have been coaching me on my pronunciation as well so I sound less like a gringo and more like a cholo (a peruvian indian).

Lastly, I've been able to get more time in the word, prayer, and just enjoying the surroundings. I was able to pass by Malecon in Barranco. It's a beautiful scenic trail over the cliff that overlooks the ocean with diverse looking trees and people walkign their dogs and running nearby.

Big City Chicago to Jungle village Pichanaqui

metropolitan cutting-edge commercial buildings and 8 lane super-highways to dirt roads, motorcycle carriages, and chickens crossing the road...

Finally all the things I needed to get done were checked off and I said goodbye to all my loved ones in the United States.
My parents saw me off at the greyhound bus terminal in Appleton, WI and I took a bus ride on route to Chicago, Illinois towards the
O'Hare Airport. Instantaneously, I felt like I was in my element, living and breathing, excited, and taking it all in.
 On the way there I was able to share the gospel with an American born haitian. He said his parents are from Haiti and he was born here. I said Como uve which means, HOw are you in haitain. I learned that a few months back from a haitian friend named Gary whom i met through a friend in church.
 He thought everything I had to say was "very interesting." He had no religious background and was on his way to Michigan to pick up his car to bring back to Madison. It is my hope and prayer
that a seed was lodged somewhere in his heart and that the soil that it fell upon will help nurture it. (use parable of the soils)

So many people of many colors, customs, religions, backgrounds, and passions passing by each other like hurrying ants on their way to different destinations...

I then stayed overnight at a Super 8 hotel near the airport. Before the trip I had many apprehensions since I wasn't able to make contact with those of whom I was going to stay with in Peru. Mostly, I knew that I had a place to stay but I wasn't suree where. I also
knew that most likely someone from the church would pick me up at the airport but I didn't know who or if it was for sure or if I would have to fight through the taxi solicitors barking at me when I got through
customs to find a good chofer to take me to where I needed to be. I also wasn't sure if I was going to Pichanaqui or not and if there was a bed for me to sleep in, if I were to arrive there or if there
was someone to accompany to the bus station and go with me on this 15 hour bus ride to this remote destination to get there since there were no seats available on Eddy's shuttle van.

However, this is to be expected if you are living in Peru. The culture is very laid-back and the concept of time is very relaxed if you are not working in a professional environment like a cell phone or insurance company in San Isidro. People do make plans and get things done but everything usually is set in place and implodes together
at the very last second. For me, this happened while I was in the super 8 hotel. Through skype, I connected with 3 different friends all in the same hour from different locations in Lima who let me know that I was going to be received in the airport,
that the place I was going to stay is prepared and ready for me, and the location of time to my bus ride to Pichanaqui and who was going to go with me. Not to mention, my friend Ruttman from Pichanaqui connected with me
at an internet cafe in the jungle village and let me know that there is a bed for me there as well. What a sigh of relief! All three of the people I talked to a couple of weeks ago were thinking of me all this time and working things out so I could be there. Glory to God!

As I was on the plain in Chicago I had a thought shoot through my mind which was "am i right with God if this plane were to go down?" I had to think about it and I started the self-examination. I was repulsed at myself when comparing myself with the Word of God and Christ but then I was able to look on Christ and  I found peace in that I
am fully resting in the finished work of Christ and what He did for me on the cross; mainly, that He bore God's holy fierce anger towards sin when He was nailed on the cross that was supposed to be directed towards me, He died, was buried, and rose the third day, and is at the right hand of God. That's it. Eternal rest and solace in that
fact, and full trust that He did it for me.

Took the plane from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Lima and sat next to a Jewish guy and was able to share with him Jesus the Messiah. I then arrived in Lima and Alfonso and Nata picked me up. I arrived to my room and was welcomed warmly.
THe room was a million times better than I thought it would be, very spacious, clean, orderly, and there was a bathroom with a washing machine and another kitchen. All this would probably pass for less than a 1 star hotel in the United States but
it is excellent considering that it is only S./100 a month or approximately $35. My roommates love the Lord too so that's a plus. I'm looking forward to the fellowship.

Passed the day in Lima getting tickets for Pichanaki with Tito, ate at a restaurant with Eddy, and had bread with jam and butter with coffee with Gloria and her husband and Francis. I am still not tuned-in completely to spanish. I understand most of
everything but it's a little tiring and I know I'm definitely not thinking in it since it is an excercise to get my words out at times.  Tonight I'm leaving for Pichanaki which is an 8 hour busride.

Arrived in Pichanaki the next day around 8 o'clock. During the night we passed through some high elevations. I don't remember sleeping or being awake for that matter. The country-side was beautiful when the sun started coming out. We were passing some jungle foliage and mountanous areas, and beautiful lakes.  we were greeted by
Ruttman and Rodik. Ruttman studied with me at the Academy a year ago. We started the day with breakfast and talking about how the day was going to go. The hermanas in the church were always serving us, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some of our meals consisted of Yuka, chicken, rice, quinua, bread, etc.

Ruttman and I swam in the river since I needed a shower and this was the best option. He showed me my living space for the next 5 days. It is a room that he has been renting from a family who is renting out to make some extra money. When you look on it from the outside, it looks like something that Mary and Joseph would have lived in 2000 years ago.
 It had two beds in it. We had a shower and a toilet room as well. I forgot that it's important to buy your own toilet paper. Around 3 oclock we had our conference.

The conference was about a 2 hour message by Martin Zacarias on the Gospel.

Throughout the week we had various messages on, "The Gospel," "The New Birth, "Marriage and Parenting" and some others. I would say after 3 days my spanish listening skills were back up to speed. I would wish to say that it was a super-encouraging time in the Lord but I was so exausted for most of the time. I did enjoy meeting new people and talkign to old friends and
hearing the subjects which really made me think even thouhg I've heard those subjects many times. The fellowship was also great. There was a peruvian-italian guy who came on the trip too who we ended up talking a lot. He was a missionary in italy for about 10 years. What I enjoyed most was sharing and exchanging testimonies
with other people and how they came to the Lord.

The 5 days consisted of fellowship, setting up for the conference, going to the plaza and witnessing and inviting people to go and handing out flyers for the conference and eating meals with each other. Willi and I talked to a two guys who seemed very interested in coming. One was a 7th day adventist and had many questions on the sabbath and the law. Some of us
also ran into a new denomination called the "israelitas." There's really no point in talking to them since they won't listen to you and they are usually loud and baligerent that one has to keep the law of the old testament with no regards to mercy, grace, and justice.

The last day after the conference we went to Ruttman's chacra (plantation). Ruttman was very proud to drive us up the hill and was very proud that he could drive pickup trucks now. He had to pay big money to to go through training and to get the license (I think equivalent of $500).
We saw a big spider web as thick as a guitar string. When you pulled it it would revirberate like a guitar.


We also spent the day at "El Bosque," sort of a nice sandy area surrounded by woods (palm trees) and consists of volleyball nets, and soccer fields. We played soccer and swam in the rio there too. It was great talking to William, Rodik, and Ruttman again and I will definitely miss them.
Maybe sometime I can spend more time there.


To kind of give you a feel for what Pichanaki is, picture yourself driving on a very sunny hot day in a carriage being driven by a motorcycle on a bumpy sandy road passing dogs and people and shabby looking stores and houses and palm trees. Everyone is either walking or driving a motocar. I was also woken up around 5:30 every morning by roosters. Ka-ka-doodle-doo!

The next day I arrived back to cloudy and misty Lima. I don't mind winters in Lima much since a chompa (hooded sweatshirt) and jeans is sufficient.

A New Adventure

I finally made the decision to go back to the land of the Incas  (better described as Peru, a country situated in the South American continent). I have started this blog to share with friends my trips which may include bus trips to the jungle and mountain towns, what I am doing  in this mysterious country as far as serving, work, and normal life (if you can call it that).

I will be leaving in 8 days which starts with a bus trip from Appleton, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois on the greyhound bus and then a flight next morning which will take me to Lima, Peru (12 hours later).

I will also provide memories from my last adventure in Peru which will include how the Lord had mercy on me through His Son Jesus Christ. I will also share information about theology, travels, recommendations for travelers, language learning tips, and experiences in the ministerial academy at the 'Church of the Savior' in Lima, the capital city of Peru.

I would appreciate your prayers while I am down there. Adios.